Born in Fire
After being refused the aid of Planet Rock, the Alliance travels to Planet Fire in the hopes of convincing Prince Pyrus to join them. However, the Grand Vizier is more than reluctant to aid the foreigners and insists that Graveheart and Cryos prove themselves by passing the trial by fire, a challenge of crossing an underground fire river. Appearing in " " * ** ** * ** ** * * Plot On Planet Fire, the Grand Vizier finds his Prince, Pyrus, training on a bridge above a river of lava, and warns him not to play such dangerous games. He's also upset with the prince's decision to allow King Cryos on their world, but Pyrus reminds him "I am the law." The Vizier apologizes, explaining he is just worried for his safety, especially with his father gone. Pyrus tells him if he's going to be a king, he needs to start acting like one, and make his own decisions. Though the Vizier fears the prince isn't ready for such an encounter, Pyrus is confident Cryos won't treat him any differently just because he's young, though he's glad the Vizier will be with him. Zera demands to join her father on his Bladewing, similarly insisting she's not too young to attend the meeting, and planetary custom prevents him from publicly denying her. Graveheart, Cryos, Jade, and Zera head for Planet Fire in the hopes of convincing its people to join their Alliance. Cryos and Zera, whose bodies are suited for colder environments like Planet Ice, specially condition themselves with nanonytes to survive on Fire's atmosphere. Cryos mentions he has not set foot there since the Golden Jubilation, the Cluster's last true chance at peace. Graveheart asks what went wrong, but Cryos wonders what didn't. Pyrus disagrees with the Vizier's decision to meet the Ice people with an army behind them, saying "they're here to end a war, not start one." But the Vizier is quick to assume treachery when Rock men exit the Bladewing with Cryos, so Pyrus asks Graveheart what he's doing there with him. Cryos claims it's because Mantel wouldn't come himself. At the palace, Graveheart shows Pyrus and the Vizier footage of the Beast Drone attacks, and Cryos insists they stand together to survive. The Vizier proposes the newcomers prove they are worthy of their allegiance by passing the Trial by Fire, in which Graveheart and Cryos must cross a treacherous underground lava river. While they're passing the trial, Zera is furious with Pyrus, and demands he release her father immediately. Her impetuousness drives Pyrus to storm off back to the bridge, but she follows him there, nearly falling off the bridge in the process. Pyrus explains his father often brought him there to show him the beauty of their planet, before he died. At the fire river, Graveheart and Cryos are attacked by Lava Dogs, fiery hellhounds that hunt in packs. Cryos has to sacrifice his nanonytes to escape them, causing his body to grow weak from heat exhaustion. Meanwhile, an army of Beast Drones attacks Pyrus and Zera at the bridge. When Pyrus is injured fighting them, Zera uses some of her nanonytes to heal him. In the end, he has to sacrifice his father's bridge and sink it into the magma so the Beast Drones on it will perish with it. As the remaining Beast Drones on the other side attack them, they are rescued by Jade, who blasts them away with a Concussion Rifle. Graveheart is forced to carry Cryos through the remainder of the trial while running away from two lava dogs, but eventually, they narrowly escape through the exit and pass the trial. Cryos insists they have earned Fire's allegiance, as they agreed, but the Vizier tries to go back on his word and arrest them anyway. In the end, Pyrus puts the Vizier in his place, telling Cryos they'd be happy to join the Alliance. Zera is delighted to see her father again, and tells him of their battle with the Beast Drones. Pyrus says if he's anything like his daughter, they're sure to defeat the Beast. See Also *View more images from this episode Category:Episodes Category:Uncommon Hero Category:Season 1 Category:Written by Marv Wolfman Category:Directed by Mark Schiemann Category:Planet Fire